2023 Charlotte Pride Magazine by Charlotte Pride

Charlotte Pride Magazine

The Charlotte Pride Team

Charlotte Pride Magazine

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Riley Murray, President, she/they Will Martin, Vice President, he/him Angel Truesdale, Interim Secretary, she/her Troy McElrath, Treasurer, she/her Daniel Valdez, Director, he/him John Walton-Tate, Director, he/him Lee Robertson, Director, he/him Lupe Silva, Director, he/him

FALL 2023. VOLUME 5. A publication of Charlotte Pride, Inc.

STAFF

Meredith Thompson, she/her Programs & Development Director Liz Schob, she/her Communications Manager

2023 FESTIVAL & PARADE TEAM Ana Azizah, she/her Ryan C. Beaupré, he/him Brandon Burton, he/him Gary Carpenter, he/him Justin Carpenter, he/him Nanhao Chen, he/him Maurice Clark, he/him Quinn Collins, they/them Tiffany Crooks, she/her Frankie Day, she/her Stacy Doherty, she/her Michelle Hartz, they/them Krystal Harwick, she/her Courtney Hereford, she/her Jonathan Hill, he/him Tessa Malayan, she/her Dee Murray, she/her Kecia Myers, she/her Liz Pagan, she/her Robert Philemon, he/him Calvin Price, he/him Brendan Schamu, he/him Jennifer Shafiro, she/her Trinda Simpson, she/her Alissa Smith, she/her Hailey Tatu, she/her Joseph TenHulzen, he/him Anthony Walton-Tate, they/them Stephen Wheeler, he/him Kelsey Willis, they/them Victor Valdez, he/him

MAGAZINE EDITING & PRODUCTION Liz Schob, she/her COPY EDITING Meredith Thompson, she/her Daniel Valdez, he/him Matt Comer, he/him COVER Mazely Event Coverage CHARLOTTE PRIDE, INC. PO Box 32362 Charlotte, NC 28232 info@charlottepride.org Charlotte Pride is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. No portion of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Charlotte Pride. For reprint or reproduction requests, contact us at media@charlottepride.org. © 2023, CHARLOTTE PRIDE, INC. All Rights Reserved.

CHARLOTTE PRIDE IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

5 10 14

40 46

Finding Your Voice with Cassidy King

Welcome

The Year in Queer

2023 Pride Pics

Fullfilling the Promise of Pride: Making Festivals Accessible

A Year in the Life of Charlotte Pride

Getting ‘Reel’ with Michelle Guzowski

22 25

Champions of Pride

Charlotte Pride Scholars

Leading the Way: NASCAR Takes LGBTQ Inclusion into the Victory Lane

Introducing Your 2023 Charlotte Pride & Charlotte Black Pride Drag Courts

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Championing LGBTQ+ Scholarship Through the Lense of a Black Lesbian Scholar

Community Art Submissions

Community Resource Directory

Pride in the Carolinas

Interfaith Directory 3

Charlotte Pride Magazine

CHARLOTTE Fall 2023 / Volume 5

PRIDE

™

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Welcome to the 2023 Charlotte Pride Magazine

ike all the programming we bring to the Queen City, this magazine is a labor of love, and we are so proud to share it with you.

Riley Murray President Charlotte Pride she/they

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

When we first published this magazine in 2019, nothing could have prepared any of us for how the next few years would unfold. After a stellar festival season the previous year, we had big plans in 2020 but we were forced to pivot quickly as the world shut down. Like everyone, we watched and waited, still holding out hope we could host the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade that August. Ultimately, we decided to cancel the festival weekend everyone had worked so hard to plan as safety was our top priority. We are proud of the virtual programming we were able to put together, but it was still a devastating decision.

Governor Cooper’s veto and allow discriminatory policies to become law. Despite these setbacks, our community’s light shines brighter than ever. The LGBTQ community is all too familiar with discrimination and Charlotte Pride will not stop being vocal about equal rights for all, which is why advocacy was an intergral part of our 2023 festival weekend. Knowing that our community continues to stand behind us and helped us fill the streets of Uptown Charlotte with rainbow-colored joy in 2022 and 2023 as we celebrated 20+ years of Charlotte Pride and more than 40 years of Pride legacy in the Queen City has been truly humbling. You showed up again and helped us set a new record for our largest Charlotte Pride Parade ever. None of this would have been possible without you, our community.

Nothing about those early years of the pandemic was easy. We had to recalibrate and figure out how to bring our programs to the community virtually and make sure folks had access to the resources they needed. Despite the uncertainty of a global pandemic and ever-changing political landscape, we were able to bring back in-person programming in 2022 and put on an outstanding Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade, thanks to the support of our sponsors and community. Y’all showed up in a big way that year, helping us set a record for the largest festival weekend in our history.

This magazine is our gift to you and, as you flip through these pages, I hope you are reminded that Pride is so much bigger than any one person, than any one organization, that our movement for liberation is rooted in our community. Throughout this magazine, you will find stories of triumph, moments of joy, and calls to action that bring that message to life.

The pandemic years were tough, but 2023 also brought challenges. Legislatures across the country have been on the attack, attempting to censor the existence of the LGBTQ community out of public spaces and deny young people the right to safe and affirming healthcare. Just two days before our 2023 festival weekend, lawmakers in our own state voted to override

And I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Our community is no stranger to struggle, but I also know that we are resilient. When we come together in service and solidarity to face these challenges head on, we are all better for it.

With Pride, Riley Murray Charlotte Pride Board President she/they

Charlotte Pride Magazine

charlotte pride festival & parade Sustaining Sponsor Bank of America

Visionary Sponsors

Arts & Science Council Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Equitable McDonald’s

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Adams Beverages Amazon Brighthouse Financial GXO Lowe’s

NASCAR PNC Bank Rosedale Health + Wellness/Dudley’s Place TD Bank Truliant Federal Credit Union

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Empowerment Sponsors

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Creativity & Media Sponsors AAA Avance Care Bloomin’ Brands BDO CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Crescent Communities DCLI Duke Energy

Community Partners

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Blue Flowers Cannabis Hemp Dispensary Matone Counseling & Testing Myers Park Baptist Church Noodles & Company Pole Body & Arts

Norsan Media QNotes Carolinas Reproductive Rights Coalition Rocket Central Walgreens WDAV 89.9 - Classic Public Radio WellCare WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte’s NPR News Source

Special Thanks

Confetti Castle LanguageLine Solutions Morningstar Storage Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Reel out Charlotte: The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival Presenting Sponsor K&L Gates

Red Carpet Sponsors Charlotte Gaymers Network Hispanic Federation

Silver Screen Sponsor

WDAV 89.9 - Classic Public Radio

Spotlight Sponsor PBS North Carolina

Special Thanks

Cine Casual The Independent Picture House

charlotte pride job fair Premier Sponsors AvidXchange Inc. Brighthouse Financial Fifth Third Bank

Additional Sponsors

Amwins Aruza Capital Vacations Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Charlotte Trans Health Charlotte Women’s Counseling City of Charlotte DCLI Harris Teeter Hornets Sports & Entertainment IKEA NASCAR

Northwestern Mutual Novant Health Per Scholas PFLAG Charlotte PNC Bank Road to Hire Slalom Third Rock Events Truliant Federal Credit Union Walmart WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte’s NPR News Source

Community Partners Carolinas CARE Partnership Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce Central Piedmont Community College Transcend Charlotte Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Pride is inside and out

At Bank of America, we believe being a diverse and inclusive company makes us stronger. We’re proud to have been the first financial institution to offer comprehensive benefits to domestic partners. And the more than 36,000 members of our LGBTQ+ Pride employee network and their global allies have been a powerful influence and voice that can be heard everywhere.

What would you like the power to do?®

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

the year in Queer

by Jeff Taylor, he/him

With a scorching summer behind us and fall in full swing, it is — believe it or not — already that time of year where we take a look back at the year in queer, and boy was 2023 a full one! The year had its fair share of ups and downs, and despite the many setbacks, we marched on, heads held high and Proud as ever. But before we keep it moving, let us rewind a bit and revisit some of the biggest LGBTQ news and events to impact our community in 2023 so far. Busting out This year was…a lot, so let’s begin on a bright spot we love that we get to celebrate on a continual basis: Coming out stories! And there have already been a number of big names opening up and letting the world know how they identify. It has been an especially big year for the bisexual/pansexual community, with several celebrities coming out as bi or pan, or revealing they were in same-sex relationships. These include actors Noah Schnapp, Alison Brie, Wayne Brady, and comedian and actor Mo’Nique, as well as singers Josh Kiszka (Greta Van Fleet) and Lauv. So too did rappers Yung Miami and Lil Nas X, the latter of whom had previously come out as gay. Actor Bella Ramsey, who stars in HBO’s adaptation of the post-apocalyptic video game “The Last of Us,” described themselves as having a fluid gender during an interview with The New York Times back in January. During another interview, this time in June, Ramsey said they were “not 100 percent straight.” That same month, fellow actor Miss Benny, co-star of Netflix’s Glamorous, came out as trans in an essay for Time in which she took the opportunity to, “come out as the transgender woman I’ve been privately living as for the last few years.” Speaking of Netflix stars, “Heartstopper” co-lead Joe Locke publicly came out as gay during an interview with Teen Vogue this summer— saying he had been openly gay in his private life since around the age of 12—and Ncuti Gatwa, who plays Eric Effiong in “Sex Education,” came out as queer while speaking with Elle UK for a cover story. In the world of sports, UFC fighter Jeff Molina came out as bisexual and professional soccer (or football, if you prefer) player Jakub Janto came out as gay. It will be exciting to see who else comes out this year, and into the next. One thing we can say for sure, we will be there cheering them on.

Photo Credit: Mazely Event Coverage 10

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Rise in Anti-LGBTQ Bills While individual members of the community continue to stand up in the spotlight as their true selves, some in the government continue to try to tear us down and use our very existence as a wedge issue in a never-ending culture war. This year saw a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures across the country. In fact, merely four months into the new year there were already twice the number in the entirety of 2022, according to the ACLU, which is currently tracking nearly 500 such bills. In North Carolina, we saw the catastrophic override of Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of three anti-LGBTQ bills. Those bills include S.B. 49, which is similar to Florida’s notorious “Don’t Say Gay” law, preventing LGBTQ instruction in early grades and requiring teachers to alert parents of pronoun changes. It also includes H.B. 574, which prevents students from playing on sports teams matching their gender identity, and H.B. 808, a law prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. With Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly holding a veto proof majority for the first time since 2018, they have also felt more emboldened to introduce anti-LGBTQ legislation, including an anti-drag bill. While these efforts are expected to face legal challenges, it is still disheartening and demoralizing for the community to continue to face these setbacks in 2023.

Biden Administration Takes Action Thankfully, there has also been cause for celebration in 2023, with the Biden administration taking steps to support the community amid the onslaught of harmful and threatening legislative actions. In February, during his State of the Union address, President Biden called on Congress to pass the Equality Act “to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity.” The Equality Act would protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination on a nationwide basis. In April, the Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s S.B. 1, which prohibits gender-affirming care to transgender youth. “No person should be denied access to necessary medical care just because of their transgender status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement. “The right to consider your health and medically-approved treatment options with your family and doctors is a right that everyone should have, including transgender children, who are especially vulnerable to serious risks of depression, anxiety and suicide. The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department will continue to aggressively challenge all forms of discrimination and unlawful barriers faced by the LGBTQI+ community.” Further, during and in celebration of Pride Month, the Biden administration announced a series of actions aimed at protecting the LGBTQ community. These efforts include safety training and resources for community centers and other LGBTQ spaces and events, increased protection efforts for medical professionals who work with the community, as well as foster youth and others, and addressing the rise of anti-LGBTQ book bans.

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Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

A year in the Life of Charlotte Pride:

Moving forward in community

by Liz Schob, she/her

After a record-setting 2022, Charlotte Pride returned this year to celebrate 20+ years of Charlotte Pride and more than 40 years of Pride legacy in the Queen City.

hen 2022 came to a close, it almost didn’t feel real. With COVID vaccines readily accessible and the world opening up again, the entire year felt like one long marathon of community events and reacclimating to an environment where we no longer had to stand six feet from each other. We brought back all of our in-person events, including the festival and parade weekend and our annual film festival. The community’s enthusiasm and eagerness to return to a sense of normalcy helped us set a record for the largest festival and parade in Charlotte Pride’s history. Everyone came together for a truly historic year, and we knew we’d need to go big in 2023. The dawn of the new year saw new organizational leadership, with Riley Murray at the helm as the new board president. Meredith Thompson and Liz Schob joined the staff in 2022 after taking over for longtime staffers Jerry Yelton and Matt Comer, who had moved on to pursue other opportunities after helping guide Charlotte Pride through the difficult pandemic years. With the planning timeline for our film festival and the 2023 Charlotte Pride festival and parade weekend no longer condensed, we hit the ground running and had our first monthly team huddle with the entire team of staff, board of directors, and core volunteers to bring our annual events to life once again. If you run into anyone from Charlotte Pride, especially our volunteers, please thank them. They worked tirelessly, giving up evenings and weekends to make what we do possible. They are truly the heart and soul of this organization, and we could not do any of this without them. In February, we hosted a job fair at Central Piedmont Community College’s Parr Center and helped over a hundred attendees connect with employers from across the region.

Carolinas CARE Partnership, Transcend Charlotte, CLT Geek, and the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce partnered with us to provide free career advancement opportunities including job readiness workshops, free headshots, resume building, and a mini name-change clinic. We are grateful for their support as well as our many sponsors for making this event possible. In the spring, we supported community events like the Plus Collective’s Volunteer Fair, Transcend Charlotte’s Mini Market, Charlotte Black Pride’s Spring Kickoff, and RAIN’s AIDS Walk. In April, we launched our newly expanded scholarship program thanks to generous support from the Principal® Foundation, which allowed us to help fund eleven students’ academic studies and kickstart the Charlotte Pride Summer Internship Program. In May, we partnered with Zaddy Solutions, the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, and Charlotte Gaymers Network for a workshop helping folks update their resumes, build their LinkedIn presence, and connect with industry professionals. We also celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of Reel Out Charlotte – The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ+ Film Festival in style and partnered with the Charlotte Film Society to host the film festival at the Independent Picture House for the very first time. The anniversary celebration was a huge success, with a drag cocktail hour kickoff event at Artisan’s Palate and a sold-out LGBTQ+ Shorts Night. We screened eleven feature films, with several state and southeastern premieres, including “Finlandia” and “You Can Live Forever,” as well as an engaging Q&A with the subject and filmmakers of the documentary “Our League.” Summer ushered in the official start of Pride events with the announcement of our headliners Big Freedia and Greyson

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Chance, and our very own Meredith Thompson received the Bolt of Inspiration Award from Charlotte is Creative for her truly inspiring work as our Director of Programs and Development. We joined our friends at Charlotte FC for the second annual Pride Night at Bank of America Stadium and were honored to be present for the readings of the LGBTQ Pride Month Proclamations by Councilmember Dante Anderson and Commissioner Pat Cotham during June’s City Council and County Commissioner’s meetings. We were also thrilled to join Charlotte is Creative for the unveiling of an incredible Pride mural by artists Dyair and LaTroy Hampton, which now graces the label of a delicious can of beer at Divine Barrel Brewing. At the end of the month, we joined Salisbury Pride for a fantastic Pride festival full of LGBTQ+ joy and in July, we joined our sibling organization for another outstanding Charlotte Black Pride week. Soon, August was upon us, and we kicked off Charlotte Pride week with an interfaith service hosted at Caldwell Presbyterian Church. We are so grateful to Rev. Gail Henderson-Belsito and Rev. Dr. John Cleghorn for welcoming us with open arms and to other faith leaders from across the community for participating. A mere two days before the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade weekend began, our community was delt a blow when the North Carolina General Assembly voted to override Governor Cooper’s veto and allow several anti-LGBTQ+ bills to become law. While we didn’t know when the veto override would happen, we, unfortunately, weren’t surprised. Our community is all too familiar with discrimination, and this decision from state lawmakers only further galvanized us in our work as we made final preparations for the festival and parade weekend. It is often said that Pride started as a protest, and that was at the forefront of everyone’s minds as the weekend arrived. It had already been a rough year in 2023 for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in North Carolina and across the country, which is why we were already working with the Freedom Center for Social Justice and Democracy North Carolina to provide numerous advocacy touchpoints across all of our festival stages as well as on our website and mobile app. We knew what was coming and we were prepared.

From top: Charlotte Pride Job Fair, February 2023; Reel Out Charlotte, May 2023; Pride mural by artists Dyair and LaTroy Hamptom, June 2023.

In the midst of this, of course, we were busy planning the 2023 Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade weekend, as we had been since the day following last year’s festival. It takes hundreds of people and thousands of hours to make the twoday festival happen. While 2022’s planning timeline was condensed, we were able to take advantage of a lengthened timeline in 2023 and were energized to go big after 2022’s

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Moving Forward in Community ...continued from page 15

record-breaking weekend. This year, we had 44 hours of entertainment across the festival stages and the most vendors and parade participants on record. We saw 260,000 attendees pack the streets of Uptown over the course of the weekend and, with over 200 vendors in the festival zone and 10,000 people marching in the parade down Tryon St., we continued the tradition of Charlotte’s largest event in Uptown and made history with our biggest-ever parade. We had so many vendor and parade applications this year that we had to turn people away, so if you want to participate next year, make sure to apply in early 2024! 2023 was an incredibly eventful year and, as we look back, we can’t help but think about all of the challenges our community has faced as well as the joys and successes we’ve celebrated with one another. 2022 was a year of change and transition, but this past year has been about replanting ourselves firmly in our community, facing challenges together, and standing as one in our joy. None of us can do this alone. Charlotte Pride is not one person, and our community is not one person. We are stronger when we stand together and support each other when we experience challenges just as much as when we support each other’s wins. We count ourselves as so incredibly lucky to stand shoulder to shoulder with so many in our community and within Charlotte Pride. If this year has taught us one thing, it’s that we can do anything when we do it together. ▼

Photographs provided by Mazely Event Coverage, Poprock Photography, & Grant Baldwin Photography. 16

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

McDonald’s Proudly Supports Charlotte Pride

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Queer Year in Review ...continued from page 11

Sounding the Alarm As a result of these seemingly ceaseless attacks, various organizations and governmental bodies have begun issuing warnings. In June, for the first time the Human Rights Campaign officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans due to “an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year.” “A new report released by HRC today — LGBTQ+ Americans Under Attack — details more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record,” the nonprofit added in its statement. It also released a guidebook with state laws and resources for travelers as well as those already living in, as they said, “hostile” states. This was followed two months later by Canada updating its travel advisory to the U.S., warning its citizens of those same laws, and encouraging them to do their research on local laws before traveling to the states. “Since the beginning of 2023, certain states in the U.S. have passed laws banning drag shows and restricting the transgender community from access to gender-affirming care and from participation in sporting events,” Global Affairs spokesman Jérémie Bérubé said in a statement. “Outside Canada, laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics can be very different from those in Canada. As a result, Canadians could face certain barriers and risks when they travel outside Canada.” Those warnings came on the heels of a move towards the end of last year by the Department of Homeland Security, which added the LGBTQ community to groups under threat of potential attacks in a late November bulletin.

Would-Be Pride Rioters Convicted In July, five members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front were convicted of conspiracy to riot at a Pride event in Idaho. They received sentences of five days in jail, with two days already served, a $1,000 fine each, and a ban from being within two miles of the Coeur d’Alene City Park, where the Pride event they planned to disrupt was held, for a year. The men were part of a larger group of individuals who were spotted at a hotel piling into a van, which was reported and then pulled over by police. A search turned up protective gear, weapons, and their plan to disrupt the event. These convictions are coincidentally taking place alongside convictions for the January 6 rioters, who attacked the Capitol in a failed attempt to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.

Decreased Media Visibility At a time when the LGBTQ community appears to be under an increasingly hot spotlight among anti-LGBTQ politicians and non-politicians alike, LGBTQ representation on TV screens actually dropped, according to GLAAD. The nonprofit released its 18th annual “Where Are We on TV” report, where it reported counting 596 regular and recurring LGBTQ characters appearing or set to appear on broadcast, cable, and streaming shows between June 1 of last year and May 31, 2023. This represents a decrease of -6.44% from the previous year’s total of 637 such characters. There was also a decrease in trans characters, with 32 in total: 16 trans women, 11 trans men, five nonbinary, which is a decrease of ten characters from last year. 18

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

“We have seen with shows like ‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ and more, that when networks and streamers put their full brand influence into LGBTQ-inclusive shows, our stories are successful critically and commercially,” GLAAD President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “With attacks on the LGBTQ community in political and news spaces, Hollywood has more influence than ever and it’s critical the stories they invest in telling include fair and accurate depictions of LGBTQ people that reflect the humanity of our community,” she added. While our TV screens might be letting us down, there was some hope, and proof of a hunger for more representation, on the silver screen. The blockbuster juggernaut event that was and is the “Barbie” movie featured not only several out cast members—Hari Nef, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, and Scott Evans—but also some easter eggs, like the Birkenstock “red pill” scene, and relies on the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine” as a key musical cue throughout. Meanwhile, the satirical coming-of-age comedy “Bottoms,” about two high school seniors who start a fight club to meet other girls, has become something of a sleeper hit despite its initial limited run, marking the highest per-screen average on ten or more screens upon its debut since 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Clearly there is a market to support pro-LGBTQ content, which can in turn help LGBTQ youths, as well as adults, feel safer to bring their full selves into the world with confidence and joy. ▼

a cherished establishment dedicated to serving the vibrant LGBTQIA+ community of Charlotte and its surrounding areas since 1968

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Getting ‘Reel’ with Michelle Guzowski

by Liz Schob, she/her

This year, Charlotte Pride’s Reel Out Charlotte - The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival featured “Our League”, a documentary following Michelle Guzowski as she navigates returning to her favorite local bowling alley in the Ohio Rust Belt after coming out to her fellow bowlers as a transgender woman. Michelle and the filmmakers visited Charlotte and participated in an audience Q&A after the film’s screening. Charlotte Pride Staffer Liz Schob interviewed Michelle about her experience with the filmmaking process. Charlotte Pride: Can you tell us a bit about the documentary and how you became involved? Michelle Guzowski: I bowled for Mahall’s for many years and the owner at the time knew someone who had a production company in California. He told them about my story, and he thought it might be an interesting thing to connect the two of us. We had a conversation and I got hooked up with Sam and the rest of the team. As they say, the rest is history.

What was it like working with the film makers?

Have any of your relationships with your bowling friends changed at all? Not particularly. Sy has always been who he is, and he’s been very kind to me. As you saw in the documentary, his feelings are not necessarily accepting, but when we’re in the bowling alley, he accepts me for who I am because I’m just a bowler to him. I recently participated in a women’s professional bowling tournament and Sy actually came up and watched. That was really nice. continued on page 44...

Sam is a perfectionist. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Can you do that again? The lights are on” or “Can you do that again? We need it from a different angle.” I totally put myself in his hands, and I’m really glad I did.

What has the reception been like with the documentary? The community where I’m from has been very receptive. We had a first screening; and everyone loved it; we had probably eight or 10 members of the league from Mahall’s there. My work family has been very accepting and, every once in a while, somebody will come to my line at the grocery store and say, “I saw you on a documentary and it was great!”

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Michelle Guzowski speaks during a Q&A after the screening of “Our League” during Reel Out Charlotte The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ+ Film Festival

Charlotte Pride Magazine

CHAMPIONS OF PRIDE 2023

harlotte Pride’s Champions of Pride Awards seek to recognize those whose work and dedication exemplify the meaning of Pride and the spirit of Stonewall. Our Champions endeavor to empower and unite LGBTQ and allied people through their leadership, service, and support for others. Our Champions understand the importance of celebrating our past while advancing LGBTQ rights and visbility. The leaders we honor and uplift this year have demonstrated their personal passion and commitment to service and community. They lead by example, often as servant leaders, in supporting and uplifting the people and community that surround them. They prove, as Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, that anyone can be a leader — the only necessity being a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love. With great honor, the Charlotte Pride Board of Directors presents the 2023 Champions of Pride.

Parade Grand Marshal

Daniel Valdez he/him

Daniel Valdez is Chief External Affairs Officer at Welcoming America. With more than fifteen years of nonprofit management experience, he is passionate about helping advance the mission of organizations and communities working on systemic changes to bring greater prosperity and opportunity for everyone. Daniel’s work has centered around advocacy and education efforts on issues like civic engagement, immigrant rights, racial justice, health disparities, and economic mobility. This has led him to work and volunteer with a number of local organizations such as the Latin American Coalition, Carolinas CARE Partnership, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Wayfinders, Hispanic Federation, Communities in School – Charlotte Mecklenburg, Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, and the Levine Museum of the New South. As a proud member of our Charlotte queer community, Daniel has served in various capacities to support our LGBTQ+ organizations for more than a decade. He served as a Board Member and Grants Committee Chair with the Plus Collective (formerly the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund), Co-Chaired Reel Out Charlotte (formally the GayCharlotte Film Festival), and was the President of the Board of Directors of Charlotte Pride from 2017-2021. He is currently in his 8th year on the board of Charlotte Pride. Daniel holds a B.A. in History and Latin American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He was born in Acapulco, Mexico and has called the Charlotte region home for 25 years. In his spare time Daniel enjoys hiking, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and exploring new cities. For his service and dedication to the mission of Charlotte Pride, Daniel was presented with the Stonewall Award, Charlotte Pride’s highest recognition, in 2022.

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Parade Grand Marshal – In Memoriam

TERESA DAVIS she/her

Teresa Davis is honored this year as the Grand Marshal – In Memoriam of the 2023 Bank of America Charlotte Pride Parade. Teresa was born in May of 1963, and spent most of her childhood in Johnson City, Tennessee. She spent her high school years in the Midwest, and her college years in St. Louis, Missouri, receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Piano Performance from the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. She then attended the Law School at St. Louis University where she received her law degree, and was admitted to the bar in Missouri. In 1993, Teresa joined the Air Force, where she served six years as an active duty United States Air Force Judge Advocate, stationed primarily in Japan, and then transferring to Washington, DC. After her Active Duty service, she remained in the Air Force as a reservist until 2013. When she retired from the Air Force, she was at the rank of Major. She was ultimately admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Missouri Supreme Court. After the Air Force, Teresa served as the Acting Assistant Director of the FOIA/Privacy Act Unit for the Department of Justice Executive Office for United States Attorneys, FOIA/ Privacy Act Unit. She supervised six attorneys and more than twenty paralegals and staff assistants. She also created, directed, and appeared in monthly training videos broadcast through the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center, where she frequently taught courses on FOIA, the Privacy Act, and records retention. In June 2003, Teresa and her Spouse moved to Charlotte, NC, where Teresa joined TSA as a Field Attorney for Charlotte, North Carolina and South Carolina. She also covered a temporary assignment in Atlanta between 2017 and 2019 as a Supervisory Field Attorney for Georgia and South Carolina. Since 2019, Teresa served as Ethics Counsel to the Transportation Security Administration, providing ethics guidance and advice across the agency. Teresa had always been very active in the Charlotte Community since her arrival in 2003. She worked on several committees and non-profit Boards, including that of the Charlotte LGBT Center and the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, where she served as President. And in 2009, with the help of her Spouse and friends, she founded Charlotte’s Reel Out Annual Film Festival, which is now going into its 24th year. Teresa passed away peacefully on February 15, 2023, after a long illness. She is survived by her Spouse of nearly 24 years, Victoria Eves, and her brother Michael Davis, of Atlanta, Georgia.

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Champions of Pride ...continued from page 23

Outstanding Ally Award

KAREN GRACI she/her

As the first Executive Director for PFLAG Charlotte, Karen leads the organization’s efforts to create a caring, just and affirming community for LGBTQ+ individuals and those who love them. Leading with love, PFLAG Charlotte supports families, educates allies, and advocates for equality to ensure LGBTQT+ people are safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. Prior to her role as Executive Director, Karen served as PFLAG Charlotte’s Board Chair & President from 2019 – 2021 and as Healthcare Outreach Manager from 2017 – 2019. Previously, Karen spent thirteen years with Deloitte in Washington, D.C., Wilton, CT, and Charlotte, NC, with leadership roles in national recruiting and national human resources. Married, Karen and her husband, Jeff, live in Charlotte. They have two fabulous young adult daughters and an awesome cockapoo.

Youth Catalyst Award

SARAH T. MOORE she/her

Sarah is a sophomore journalism student at Elon University . She has been engaged in LGBTQ+ activism on both a local and national level since she was 14, working with organizations such as Time Out Youth, GLSEN and Charlotte Pride. Sarah also led LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts in her high school and continues to be engaged with the LGBTQ+ community on her college campus. Sarah first started volunteering with Charlotte Pride when she was 16 as a member of the festival coordination team and returned this summer as an inaugural summer intern, a program sponsored by The Principal Foundation. In her free time, Sarah enjoys board games with friends and family, bird watching and spending time with her pets.

EDUCATING ALLIES SUPPORTING FAMILIES ADVOCATING FOR EQUALITY PFLAGCHARLOTTE.ORG

@PFLAGCHARLOTTE

Charlotte Pride Magazine

CHArlotte pride Scholars

his year, we were honored to grow Charlotte Pride Scholarship Program and introduce an all-new summer internship this year, all made possible with support from Principal® Foundation. The Charlotte Pride Scholarship & Internship Program, Generously Supported by Principal® Foundation, aims to improve economic mobility for LGBTQ and ally college students from the Charlotte metro area by funding college scholarships and a summer internship opportunity. This year’s scholars received up to $10,000 for the 2023-2024 school year at an accredited two or four-year college and one received the opportunity to intern with Charlotte Pride during Summer 2023 and receive a $5,000 stipend.

Monisha Pirela

abigail morman

she/her Central Piedmont Community College

she/her University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Champion of Pride Scholarship $10,000

Visionary Scholarship $1,000

kadence cole

jea’von crockett

she/her Queens University

he/him University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Empowerment Scholarship $2,500

Visionary Scholarship $1,000

Julia bright

marissa parker

she/her UNC Chapel Hill

she/her UNC Charlotte

Empowerment Scholarship $2,500

Visionary Scholarship $1,000

madison todd

ken sings

she/her UNC Charlotte

he/him UNC Charlotte

Leadership Scholarship $1,250

Visionary Scholarship $1,000

dakota kramer

sarah t. moore

he/him Central Piedmont Community College

she/her Elon University

Leadership Scholarship $1,250

Jada carlos Visionary Scholarship $1,000

she/her NC A&T University

CLT Pride Summer Intern $5,000 summer stipend

One additional Charlotte Pride Scholarship was awarded this year. The recipient has chosen to remain anonymous. Charlotte Pride respects the coming out journeys and private stories of all our scholars. continued on page 27...

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Supporting the

the next generation Financial security that’s accessible to all: It’s the world Principal® Foundation strives to create. To help empower the next generation of LGBTQIA+ students and allies on their path to higher education—and their own financial health—we support the Charlotte Pride Scholarship Program. It’s one more way to help ensure a future that’s inclusive for everyone.

Foundation principal.com/inclusion

Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (“Principal Foundation”) is a duly recognized 501(c) (3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“Principal”) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. Principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so. Principal community relations supports the communities where affiliates of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392 operates. Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392. 2991700-072023

Happy Pride! LOV E,

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Scholars ...continued from page 25

Charlotte Pride Magazine

In addition to our inagural Charlotte Pride Summer Internship, made possible with support from Principal® Foundation, Charlotte Pride hosted a Hope Summer Intern in partnership with Caldwell Presbyterian Church.

abigail duran Hope Summer Intern

she/her Abilene Christian University

Take Pride Pride in Your Pride New Career Scan here, Apply Now!

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Leading the way

NASCAR takes LGBTQ inclusion into the victory lane

Charlotte-area motorsports giant expands LGBTQ employee and community support by Matt Comer, he/him

itting in the stands at this year’s Charlotte Pride Parade, my family and I stood up with wild applause as a rainbow-decaled NASCAR pace car rolled down Tryon Street. I’m not even close to being a super-fan, but I just couldn’t help myself. As anyone raised in North Carolina’s Piedmont can attest, NASCAR is everywhere, as seemingly synonymous with southern sports as college football. You know NASCAR, even if you’ve never watched a single race or don’t watch regularly. You’ve seen the NASCAR Hall of Fame and its multi-colored bowl of a building in Uptown. You’ve been caught in traffic on I-85 when the Coca Cola 600 rolls around to Charlotte Motor Speedway every Memorial Day Weekend. You might have even rubbed elbows with NASCAR royalty; some 70 percent or more of NASCAR’s teams and drivers call this part of the country their home. But, also, maybe you were really surprised to see NASCAR showing up at Charlotte Pride so proudly and so openly these past couple years. LGBTQ Pride and NASCAR? The two just don’t seem to fit. Arlette Fernandez, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Multicultural Marketing, understands how you might be feeling like you’re missing a piece to some larger puzzle. She’s Hispanic and a member of the LGBTQ community. She took her role as a newcomer to NASCAR in April 2022 after more than a decade in marketing for what she described as “stick-andball” sports. “It felt like a ‘calculated risk,’” Arlette told me, as she explained her jump into motorsports. “It was a surprise career move. I spent 14 years at my previous company, and I loved it, but I was ready for a new challenge. I did not think it 28

would be motorsports or NASCAR, but even as an outsider and looking in, everyone has noticed that NASCAR and motorsports is having a moment. There is a huge opportunity within NASCAR to attract a more diverse fan base, and I see there is an appetite for motorsports from a younger and more diverse fanbase.” Arlette knew about those old stereotypes and perceptions tied to NASCAR — that its fanbase is a particular type of person, that perhaps it is a regional and limited sport, or that it may not be as open or as accepting of diversity. Those preconceived notions dissipated as Arlette interviewed to become part of NASCAR’s employee family. “I did have some of those perceptions,” she said. “But NASCAR, as a company, the progress they’ve made in the past 10 years is really significant. When considering my move into NASCAR, I had a lot of conversations with people within the organization, including executives. The one thing I took away was that, as an organization, we have an internal commitment from NASCAR to make sure that we are a league that is inclusive and wants to be diverse and we are taking the steps to show that to people.” Arlette entered her first few weeks on the job in 2022 and learned of NASCAR’s Pride+ ERG, an employee resource group for those who identify as LGBTQ and allies, a group she now chairs. “I remember sitting in my office, wondering if we did anything to recognize Pride,” she said. “Then I learned we were participating in Charlotte Pride, and I thought that was the coolest thing. I knew I’d made the right decision to come into NASCAR. This was a big, bold step in the right direction.” Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, had been working behind the scenes to make Arlette’s experience a reality. Back in 2019, he’d helped to present NASCAR’s first public partnership with an LGBTQ community event, recognizing an older NASCAR-affiliated driver who had come out as gay and was being recognized as part of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

Charlotte Pride Magazine

“When I look at that event in Chicago and what we’ve done since, particularly in such a short amount of time, I think these are the bookends,” Brandon told me. “Everything is significant. It has grown so much and built up to a pretty cool moment.” That “cool moment” was NASCAR’s participation in this year’s Charlotte Pride Parade. NASCAR first supported Charlotte Pride just a year ago. The 2022 event was the first time the motorsports giant lent its name to a large-scale, public Pride event. Since then, they’ve not only returned to Charlotte Pride, but have also had a presence at Pride events in Phoenix and Chicago. Brandon understands why someone like Arlette might have at first been a little wary of NASCAR’s reputation with the LGBTQ community. “I can literally remember a time when participating in something like Charlotte Pride would not have been something we would have participated in,” Brandon said,” largely because I don’t know that we would have been comfortable with how we would have been perceived in that space.” The question wasn’t so much about public perception, but how the LGBTQ community itself would react to a sport so tied in the popular imagination to larger, seemingly more “southern” or “conservative” social mores.

Photo Credit: Mazely Event Coverage It was just in 2020, after all, that NASCAR had to face lingering perceptions tied to the old South — a region in which it had found its very origin back when whiskey bootleggers raced down rough Appalachian roads to outrun the law. The Black Lives Matter movement had reached a fevered pitch after the police-involved killing of George Floyd. A month later, NASCAR’s only Black driver issued a call: It was time for NASCAR to ban Confederate flags from their race grounds. “This was the moment for our double-down, this was our opportunity to be invested and to lead,” Brandon shared. NASCAR itself is a collection of people, teams, and communities who all bring their own ideas and notions of the world to their work. The most important partners in this journey have been NASCAR’s employees, who helped to shape how NASCAR would lead in this moment. Employee resource groups like Pride+ and those for Black and Latino employees shaped NASCAR’s responses to ever-increasing fan demands to be more inclusive and more diverse. “As we turned our focus toward our own employee base and in making sure we’re giving voice to a wider variety of our employees, that’s really helped us to feel more comfortable and to show up,” Brandon shared. NASCAR teams and partners have come along on the journey as the larger association has led the way. “NASCAR leads and we bring the industry along,” Brandon shared. “NASCAR has led the way with safety, NASCAR has led the way with marketing, we have led in how we show up. The best way we can lead now is in diversity and inclusion.”

Photo Credit: Mazely Event Coverage Fall 2023 / Volume 5

NASCAR is increasingly attentive to desires from younger fans, especially their desire to see a sport more reflective and representative of the world in which they live.

continued on page 33... 29

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Introducing your 2023 Charlotte Pride & Charlotte Black Pride drag Courts by Anders Hare, he/him

Ted Eytan

Chanel eventually settled in Graham, North Carolina in 2006. He began his career in drag during the pandemic under the House of Chanel in Charlotte as a hairdresser before taking the stage in 2021. From there, Oso said the leap for the Charlotte Pride crown has been surreal.

Mr. Charlotte Pride: Oso Chanel (he/him)

“It was my first pageant ever, I’ve only been doing drag for about three years now,” he said. “Coming from the volunteering aspect of it to being crowned like other kings and queens that have come before me with Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Latin Pride. To now be Mr. Charlotte Pride, it’s definitely been a very surreal, magical moment.”

Oso Chanel’s journey to the Charlotte Pride throne has been a lengthy, yet valuable one. Hailing from El Salvador, Oso

As the first immigrant to be crowned Mr. Charlotte Pride,

he Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride Drag Courts are a vibrant and cherished tradition that brings together the Queen City’s most charismatic and influential individuals. Brought on by thrilling pageants, these extravagant affairs are a testament to the power of visibility and the enduring spirit of resilience that defines the LGBTQ+ community. Here are the members of the Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride Drag Courts and their stories.

Photo Credit: Bobby Kerns Productions

continued on page 34... 30

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

We look through the eyes of many Recognizing and promoting diversity means having an appreciation for difference. At Wells Fargo, we welcome and value the insights and perspectives drawn from unique life experiences. It is those distinctive viewpoints that provide us with the fresh thinking we need to help our customers reach their financial goals. We are proud to be part of the 2023 Charlotte Pride Festival.

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Celebrate your

authentic self.

We believe in a work environment— and a world— where everyone can be their authentic self. Where diverse perspectives help everyone achieve more. At Principal®, that means prioritizing inclusion, integrity, and respect. Not only does this enable our workforce to reach their full potential, but it also helps us best serve our customers. Today, and every day, Principal celebrates you—and Charlotte Pride.

principal.com/inclusion

Principal Life Insurance Company®, Des Moines Iowa. For important information about insurance, retirement and investment products go to www.principal.com/disclosures. 2979534-072023

Your Partner in Recovery. Veritas Collaborative proudly supports Charlotte Pride. We believe ALL people deserve to find lasting recovery from their eating disorders.

veritascollaborative.com

Leading the Way

Charlotte Pride Magazine

...continued from page 29 “We got a visit from a grandchild of a NASCAR Hall of Famer, telling us just how excited they were to see NASCAR come forward in this space, and for them to be able to show up and participate,” Brandon said. “I think it’s been really cool to see this inside and outside of the industry. We aren’t just falling into some corporate line. We’re showing up for our employees and fans. We’re excited about the journey we’re on.” Arlette works and lives in Charlotte. In their first appearance in 2022 and even this year, she was curious how the Queen City’s LGBTQ community would react to NASCAR being in our parade. “Everybody was really excited, and everyone was talking about it,” Arlette said. “People are so kind. It’s a celebration of love, and you feel it when you’re there. I can’t even explain it — you just have to be there.” Arlette is convinced that NASCAR’s support of events like Charlotte Pride makes a difference for equality and inclusion. “Participating in events like this helps,” she says. “We interacted with families, kids, NASCAR fans, all who said how awesome it was for us to be here.” Being present here in Charlotte makes sense for NASCAR. We’re like a home turf. But NASCAR isn’t playing it safe. They’re expanding beyond their “home base,” supporting a wide range of LGBTQ equality-focused initiatives across the country. In Orlando, they’ve supported the OnePulse Foundation, memorializing those lost in the largest mass murder of

Photo Credit: Grant Baldwin Photography LGBTQ people in U.S. history. They’re a donor to the Trevor Project, a national crisis support and chat line for LGBTQ young people. NASCAR supports the NoH8 Campaign, photographing and documenting loving couples and queer friends all across the country. Back home in Charlotte, they’ve invited members of the Carolinas LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce to a special event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Arlette doesn’t want to let up. NASCAR, she says, can only improve. “We can go nowhere but forward,” Arlette shared. “There are so many future fans out there that we haven’t interacted with or engaged with. Our job is to create a sport and content that is relevant. The future of NASCAR is younger and more diverse. This is the future we have, and what I’d like NASCAR to see, even when I’m retired down on some beach on Florida.” ▼

Charlotte Pride Magazine

2023 Courts

...continued from page 30 Oso wants to focus on destigmatizing the criminalization of immigrants and making health resources more readily available to immigrants in the LGBTQ community during his time on the throne.

Miss Charlotte Pride: Jayla Serena Mitchell (she/her) Growing up here in the Carolinas, Jayla Serena Mitchell always knew she wanted to be Miss Charlotte Pride. She was surrounded by iconic acts in Charlotte’s drag scene – Amber Rochelle and Angela Lopez just to name a few. In 2021, after taking Las Vegas and Myrtle Beach by storm, she returned to Charlotte with the intention of taking the thrown she wanted for so long. “I’m 42, and [winning] felt like the past 42 years of my life were worth it,” Jayla said. “It came down to that moment for me. And [after] I said to myself, ‘I’m gonna be okay.’” Jayla’s biggest goal while on the thrown is to push for more visibility among Charlotte’s transgender community. “I want to push people to stand in their own power and to be their beautiful, authentic self,” she said. “I want all the people that are so scared to come into their own look at me and know that it’ll be okay.”

Mx Charlotte Pride: Lolita Chanel (they/them) Born here in the Queen City, Lolita Chanel’s trek to Mx Charlotte Pride began in 2014 during a time they said a title, rather than unadulterated talent, was needed to get booked to perform. Lolita said drag came into their life during a dark point, and it served as a coping mechanism for them. That motivation led to numerous titles over the years, eventually leading to the Mx Charlotte Pride crown. “I’ve been prepping I want to say three months prior to the pageant,” they said. “All that hard work that I put into this is finally paying off. And I’m being recognized for my talents. It’s really an indescribable feeling.” Lolita said during their time on the throne, they aim to be an approachable figure in Charlotte’s LGBTQ community, as well as bring drag to the underserved smaller cities in the area, “By bringing something so out and loud and proud to these communities, we can bring [out] people who did not know what drag was or didn’t understand what drive was,” they said. “I want to continue doing shows and smaller areas but also making myself available and approachable for anyone to reach out to me.”

From top: Oso Chanel, Jayla Serena Mitchell, & Lolita Chanel Photo Credit: Bobby Kerns Productions

continued on page 42...

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

We proudly support

Pride Charlotte

brighthousefinancial.com

Charlotte Pride Magazine

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Join the movement for improved Medicare for ALL! Sign our resolution of support

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Pride Pics

Photo Credits: Grant Baldwin Photography, Mazely Event Coverage, & Poprock Photography. 40

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

2023 Drag Courts

...continued from page 34

Mr. Charlotte Black Pride: Dallas Cole Coutour (he/him) Hailing from southwest Detroit, Michigan, Dallas Cole Coutour has spent the last few years working behind the scenes to make the biggest drag stars in Charlotte shine. But this year, he took a leap and stepped onto the stage himself. That leap led him directly to the crown of Mr. Charlotte Black Pride, a position he uses to tell his story. “What it means to me is that I now get to represent myself and my story,” Dallas said. “I don’t have to live vicariously through someone else’s story. I don’t have to be in the back anymore. I get to stand in the front and introduce my community to who I am and tell my story and hope that it’s able to reach someone else so that they are able to share their story as well.” One of Dallas’s biggest goals is to nurture and uplift Black men in the LGBTQ community, something that has been a passion of his for years. “I want other young Black gay men to look at me and be like, ‘that can be me. I see him up there on that float,’” Dallas said. “I think that’s what my purpose on this earth has truly been and that’s just to pass on that despite the adversities, there’s still so much beauty in who we are and what we represent, and what we have to offer to the world.”

Miss Charlotte Black Pride: Bryanna Lefaris (she/her) Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, Bryanna Lefaris values emotion and passion when it comes to performing. It’s something she incorporates every time she steps onto the stage. Bryanna said when she was crowned Miss Charlotte Black Pride, not only was she honored to have that passion recognized, but she was also honored to represent Charlotte’s Black LGBTQ community. “Representing the LGBTQ POC population and black population means that we still can be heard, no matter where we come from, we still can show up and show out,” Bryanna said. “I can represent as a Black trans entertainer as a positive role model for the younger generation and for inspiring girls who want to start performing and even transitioning. If I can do it, then I can help the newer generation to start as well.”

Miss Charlotte Black Pride Lady: JLõ Jonez Chanel-Iman (she/her) From dancing to modeling to performing, JLõ Jonez Chanel-Iman has done it all. With roots in the Bronx, New York and Greensboro, North Carolina, she’s had time to show off her talents to a wide-ranging audience. JLõ said, with her crown, she hopes to show Charlotte’s LGBTQ community that our differences should not matter. “It’s sad when a woman like myself can be beside my brothers and my sisters and everybody’s looking at each other differently, and they’re staring at each other, like, ‘Why is she here?’ or ‘Why is he here?’” she said. “I’m hoping that I can help show that we are all one. I just don’t like us to feel like we’re not a party to each other when we actually really are.” ▼

From top: Dallas Cole Coutour, Bryanna Lefaris, & JLõ Jonez Chanel-Iman Photo Credit: Bobby Kerns Productions

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Thank yo u, C h arl ot t e , f or m ak i ng t h i s y e ar’ s P ri de c e l e brat i o n t rul y unf o rg ettabl e! Your e ne rg y and s upport w e re no t h i ng s h o rt o f am az i ng . A s w e c o nt i nue to c e le brate o ur di v e rs e and v i brant c o m m un it y , re m e m be r t h at y o u can RIDE W IT H PRI D E e ac h and e v e ry day o n t h e C h arl o t t e A re a T rans i t S ys t e m .

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

RideTransit.org. | JoinCATS.org

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Getting ‘Reel’

...continued from page 21

What is it about bowling that brings people together? It’s the community aspect of it. It brings people from all different walks of life that have something in common and it’s an escape; at least for me, it is. It’s an escape from everything else, the drudgery of everyday life, someplace where I can go for three hours and not have anything to worry about, except where the next beer is coming from.

Why do you think it’s important to tell stories like yours? The transgender community is not a small community. We are who we are. All of this anti-trans legislation, it’s not looking good for the community, and we need to speak up for ourselves because if we don’t do it, nobody will. I was more than glad to share my story and I’m getting nothing out of this. If one person learns something or gets something from the documentary, then I’m happy.

What was your overall experience like at Reel Out Charlotte - The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival? I was really grateful that y’all invited me to attend your film festival because it was nice for me to meet and connect with people who had no idea who I was and see the reaction. To be able to share my life with people who don’t know me - It’s a blessing. I so appreciate the fact that you invited us down there. I’m so grateful.

What is a message that you really want to drive home for people? I hope people realize that a transgender person is just the same as anyone else. We have feelings. We are not the enemy. We are a part of the community, and we ask for your acceptance because we are who we are and we’re not going to change for you. Please accept us as we are. ▼

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

proud to show our

pride

Embracing the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and every day.

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fulfilling the Promise of Pride

Making Festivals Accessible

by Marcy Clark of Friendly Like Me, she/her

ride festivals around the world are beacons of hope that our world is slowly but surely becoming more inclusive, accepting, and loving to people of all sexualities and gender expressions. These life-affirming events, championed by dedicated and tireless organizers like those of Charlotte Pride, offer a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies to come together, celebrate diversity and advocate for equal rights and respect. To ensure the promise of Pride is experienced by attendees it is essential to ensure these festivals are as accessible as possible to people with disabilities, individuals living in larger bodies and people of diverse ages and conditions. According to the CDC, 27% of Americans have a disability, many of them not immediately visible to others. In the HRC Foundation’s 2020 study, 36% of LGBTQ+ adults reported having a disability. When you add to that plus-size Americans who require some accommodation, it is reasonable to assume that well over a third of those who would very much like to attend Pride will have an access need that compels them want to plan how to participate safely and comfortably.

Photo Credit: Disabled and Here

Lead with Equity and Openness to Learn

Friendly Like Me, a groundbreaking new mobile app, web platform, and consultancy is mapping accessibility from coast to coast. To realize that mission, they are partnering with major Pride festivals such as Charlotte Pride, Atlanta Pride, Portland Pride, OC PRide, and many others, as well as major tech, entertainment and healthcare conferences, and creating customized accessibility guides with accommodations laid out in easy-tounderstand ways and friendly and accessible businesses highlighted so that all attendees can “Go in Confidence.”

Ensure the active participation of people with access needs in planning roles, and as scheduled speakers and panelists, as well as in visual representations of your event. Compensate disability consultants similarly to other professionals providing services to your event. To keep learning and improving each year, establish methods for receiving and addressing feedback from the disability community.

At its core, accessibility is about removing barriers to participation and planning to help address the range of access needs your attendees might have. The best events are ones that everyone can participate in, including those with visible or invisible disabilities. So, let’s break down the essentials of planning a festival that welcomes people of all sizes, types, and abilities.

Choose parade routes and venues that are wheelchair, walker and pushchair accessible as much as possible. Understand that features like ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms are essential. Ensure that pathways and common areas are free of obstacles to accommodate mobility aids. If a pathway is not accessible or terrain is often uneven or muddy, consider mobi-mats and provide alternate route suggestions for attendees.

Accessible Parade Routes and Venue Selection

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Elevate Supportive Sponsors and Partners

Charlotte Pride Magazine

In the same way that we want to make sure to patronize and support venues that proudly display their solidarity and warmth for the LGBTQIA+ community, we want to start paying attention to accessibility too and plan to visit bars, restaurants and hotels where all in our party can find the venue welcoming and accommodating for their mobility, sensory, auditory, visual, and other access needs. Organizers and attendees can use the Friendly Like Me app to read or leave reviews for local venues and check their accessibility for various communities.

Communication Accessibility Provide sign language interpreters for stage performances and important announcements. Use accessible communication formats, such as braille or large print, for event schedules and other essential information. Follow the latest guidelines for digital accessibility to make sure people who are blind or low vision can access your website as well.

Designate Accessible Parade Viewing Areas One way that Friendly Like Me has helped Pride festival partners increase their accessibility is by finding partner businesses alongside parade routes that are open to reserving viewing areas for guests with disabilities, such as hotels or businesses with an outside deck or rooftop.

Photo Credit: Friendly Like Me

Plan Access to the Mainstage Events If there is a stage, make certain it is accessible to wheelchair users and that stage presentations have ASL interpretation when possible. Also, make sure your set up is compatible with assistive technology such as hearing loops, screen readers, or other tools your attendees may rely on for accessibility. Create designated seating areas with sturdy chairs that can accommodate individuals living in larger bodies. Ensure these areas have a clear view of the stage and access to amenities.

Have Designated Quiet Spaces

Photo Credit: Friendly Like Me

Plan for one or more quiet spaces, tents or rooms for individuals and families seeking a less stimulating environment. Make this location known in event materials and provide ample signage.

continued on page 53... Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Finding Your voice

with cassidy king

by Sarah T. Moore, she/her

This year, singer-songwriter Cassidy King took to the Charlotte Pride main stage to perform an electrifying set during the festival weekend. Before she took the stage, Cassidy met with Charlotte Pride summer intern Sarah T. Moore to discuss her artistic process and what it’s like being an LGBTQ+ person in the music industry. Charlotte Pride: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard your work? Cassidy King: It’s my feelings on a plate. It’s important to me to let out all of my feelings with no boundaries. When you’re honest and open, people can relate and will respond. I try to be really intentional with my lyrics and I want to evoke feelings for people. I have no shame in sharing my feelings and am really grateful that people listen to it.

What inspires you when you create music? I write poetry, so a lot of my writing process is going back to poems that I’ve written in a past situation. I’m not in the studio every moment of every day, though I’m there a lot – but I do always have my phone with me. If I have certain experiences that bring up strong emotions, I can record those on my notes app and have material ready when I’m in the studio.

Did you always see music as a part of your journey and career path? Not when I was a kid. I’m from Ohio and it’s very blue collar. It wasn’t always easy for me to see a future in music because no one in my life had pursued music as a career. It wasn’t always easy to talk about my dreams, but I’ve always loved music. I grew up in a household of all women, so I got to experience a lot of fun music. I would also do talent shows when I was a kid. I was in a choir, but music wasn’t something that I thought you could pursue as a career and it was great! When I went to college, my friends were always trying to convince me to sing for them and they would post the videos on social media which I had no idea how to use. When they started posting those videos, people really loved it and I felt so reassured. Music is such a huge passion of mine and I’m just extremely thankful I’ve fallen into this path. It’s amazing 50

Photo Credit: Poprock Photography that people really listen, and I’m grateful I’m lucky enough to have a community of people that have taken me in with open arms.

What songs have you written that made you feel the most connected with yourself? “Safe Places” is a song that was monumental for me because it was so personal. I was really nervous about putting that story out there because I hadn’t heard of a song like it that articulated what I went through. It felt like my heart on a platter and saying, “This happened.” It was a really hard thing for me to go through, dating the girl with the boyfriend. I got a lot of music out of it that I still release to this day because I learned so much and grew so much from that relationship.

How has releasing music impacted your journey as a queer woman? Expressing myself through music is what brought the queer community to me and helped me feel safe and welcome. When I first started posting music on my own, I was still so far in the closet. I used to have guys in my music videos, but Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

it felt like I was not only lying to myself but to the world because those songs are not written about men. They’re written about women. It felt disingenuous, and it made me anxious. When the queer community first started embracing my music, saying that they loved the stories without me even being open about it, I realized that I had a community, and it gave me that push to use my voice authentically. When I released the song “Professional Smiler”, it was so beautiful. I have such an attachment to it because it was me singing my truth and I got such a tremendous response when I performed it! It was the first video that I felt truly comfortable and confident in. I was wearing the clothes that I wanted to wear and not trying to be what I thought I was supposed to be in my head. When I released that video, everything started making sense and opened up a whole new world to me. I owe so much to music because it brought me to LA and got me out of the small-town bubble where I didn’t even know gay people existed. I am just really happy I’m here, and I owe it all to music.

What do you love most about being a musician and sharing your music with the world? My favorite thing is receiving it back; that’s the most beautiful

Photo Credit: Poprock Photography thing about it. I’ll be thinking about a girl and I’m just in my head thinking, “Am I crazy for feeling this way?” I’m just talking about my feelings, and everybody wants to feel validated. I’ll be in the studio writing and think, “Is this too much? Does anybody else feel this way or is it just me?” When I put my music out there and people relate to it, it’s just so validating.

What does it mean to you to perform events like Charlotte Pride? Little 14-year-old Cass is doing backflips in the closet right now. I used to feel so scared, and I really felt that I was never going to be able to be my true self but living authentically and performing on stage feels so empowering. Performing at events like Charlotte Pride is my favorite because it feels like I’m at home with my people. I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of everybody in the crowd. I’m just happy to be there and I’m so happy to be gay.

Do you have any advice for our readers? Be gentle with yourself. Focus on your own growth and stop comparing yourself to other people because everybody’s journey is so different. I trip up sometimes comparing myself to other people’s journeys, but it’s important to take a step back and realize how far you have come. Don’t get mad at yourself because you’re comparing yourself to another person. I think that that’s what’s so beautiful about life; we’re always growing and changing. Take time with yourself, learn yourself, and own that part of yourself that you’re afraid to share because it’s beautiful and there are so many people out there that will show up for you when you show up as your authentic self. ▼

Photo Credit: FANGRL mgmt Fall 2023 / Volume 5

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Making Festivals Accessible ...continued from page 47

core values of inclusivity, acceptance, and love that these events stand for. By recognizing and addressing the unique needs of people with disabilities and those living in larger bodies, Pride festivals can become even more vibrant celebrations of diversity. Through these efforts, we move closer to a world where everyone feels seen, valued, and celebrated for who they are. And that is something we can all take pride in! ▼

These sensory-friendly spaces are vital for individuals with autism or sensory processing disorders, and also extremely popular for families with small kids and people who get overwhelmed in crowds. Consider having a diverse range of activities at these spaces such as art projects, immersive listening experiences or even a space to build pillow forts.

Have an Official Accessibility Guide Include comprehensive accessibility information on event websites and on promotional materials at information areas. Encourage attendees to request accommodation in advance, such as accessible parking or seating, to better meet their needs. Consider partnering with organizations such as Friendly Like Me that specialize in making very user-friendly accessibility guides and illuminating a diverse segment of accessible and LGBTQ+ friendly businesses. Making Pride festivals accessible is about so much more than checking boxes and “getting it right;” it’s about embodying the

704-208-4134 amitymed.org

• Primary Care • Pediatric Exams & Immunizations • Diabetes Care • Addiction Medicine (MAT) & Recovery • Counseling • HIV & Infectious Disease Care • LGBTQIA+ Care

• On Site Pharmacy • Remote Physiologic Monitoring • Care Support Programs • Financial Assistance @amitymedicalgroup Accepting New Patients, Private Insurance, Medicare & Medicaid Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Championing LGBTQ+ Scholarship Through the lense of a black lesbian scholar

by Mo Pirela, she/her

s there a shortage of Black lesbian scholarly representation in this country or is it just me?

Black lesbian women who are likely to overcome arduous circumstances find a lack of reflections of themselves in higher education. This is a broad statement. So, I’ll speak for myself. To this day, I have never had a Black lesbian, or an openly queer teacher to say the least. Why is that? Well, that isn’t what this essay is about. As a first-generation college student, I am proud of the accomplishments of my family members, but I have had unique experiences that those closest to me can’t relate to. I want you to see the reflection of the resilient Black women who raised me to be resilient. I didn’t follow the paths they imagined for me, and I have always been a bit rebellious, so I didn’t make it easy for them to raise me either. (Insert Leo zodiac sign with Middle Child Syndrome here.) However, by learning and aspiring to go as far as I can in my academic and professional career, I know that I make their sacrifices more than worth it. For me, the Charlotte Pride Scholarship, made possible with support from Principal® Foundation, means representation. I can’t count the number of times I have searched Beyonce’s internet for Black lesbian scholars, authors, politicians, and architects. One day as I was searching for… long story short, I met my life partner of 12 years online. She is an acclaimed fine artist. My hope is that past and future Black LGBTQ+ NC citizens, from the coast to the mountains, will one day search and find reflections of themselves as vibrant, capable, and proud. Maybe they’ll be as lucky as I was to research people and find an artist, and also find love. Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Photo Credit: Monisha Pirela The Champion of Pride Scholarship from Charlotte Pride thankfully comes with a cute coin, but I believe I was selected because of my commitment to advocacy, authenticity, and solidarity. What I will tell my grandkids, long after the funds are spent on college fees, is that the faces of the LGBTQ+ students in the crowd at the parade were rainbow! Many of us locked eyes and cheered together. If only for a moment, we saw each other. I yelled from the float, “We love Queer Students! We love Trans Students!” We were all LGBTQ+ scholars full of possibility. I hope that a few fierce Black lesbians saw me and said to themselves, “Yeah, I can be continued on page 67... 55

Charlotte Pride Magazine

The drive for positive change doesn’t stop after Pride Month.

Forever Proud. Forever Progressing. Proud to support LGBTQ2+ initiatives for health, housing and financial security, year-round. Learn more at td.com/foreverproud

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Community aRt Submissions This summer, we put out a call for the community to submit their visual and written artwork for a chance to be included in this year’s magazine. We received some stellar pieces and are excited to share them with you. Enjoy! “You Are Loved” by Stacey Black, she/her “You are Loved” by miniature artist Stacey Black of Bee Bottom Art was created with watercolor and pen & ink measuring 1.5”x2.5”. Stacey is an ally of LGBTQ community and incorporates supportive pieces into her work. As a lifelong city-dwelling Southerner, Stacey has felt burdened by the larger prevalence of conservative thought often found in surrounding rural areas. As an ally, she can only imagine how it must feel for the LGBTQ community to enter into these spaces. It is for this reason that Stacey enjoys depicting LGBTQ imagery in rural settings in hopes that it can bring comfort to others.

“Current Storm” by Trish Boyles, she/her I am an emerging artist in Charlotte and this piece was done in response to the current and increasingly hostile political climate toward gay and trans people across our country. It is inspired by the Audre Lorde quote: “we are powerful because we have survived” which is included in the painting. This is a mixed media piece (primarily acrylic) on an 8” x 8” cradled wood panel. 58

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“Changeling Series” by Ruth Ava Lyons, she/her

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Most of my work is inspired by ecosystems in nature that are threatened by man, yet I try to bring hope and beauty within the concept to positively address these issues. In 2015, I began my Monarch Migration Series to communicate the decline of the butterfly due to threats in its migratory environment. As that series wrapped up, the HB2 debacle began. The image of the butterfly transitioned to represent the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. I find the concept of metamorphosis and the uniqueness of each butterfly to perfectly equate with the beauty of unfolding of every individuals’ identity. This is a selection from the Changeling Series. More information can be found at ruthavalyons.com Courtesy of Hidell Brooks Gallery

“Choosing Family” by Adrian Parrish, they/them

“Are you part of our family now?” She asked it in the casually devastating way that only a seven-year-old could. It was like months before, the first time she reached up to hold my hand as we were walking down the street. Not a big deal, just the casual trust a child can give you. My eyes welled up with tears both times but in my head, I was like play it cool. “I like to think I’m part of your family,” I responded, again trying to sound casual, not like my heart was melting. “What do you think?” “Yeah,” she said . Again, super caszh, and went back to eating her snow cone. A snow cone that I bought her after taking her and her two brothers to the park. She’s a sweet, silly girl who loves to craft and make things and her mind is so creative. She requires a lot of attention. Like a lot. She draws a picture of you and all of the attention is worth it. Her older brother is ten years old and is so smart and funny and quirky. Dorky in the way every 10-year-old boy is. Once on the playground, he climbed up on a big rock and loudly declared, “This is the meaning of life” and then started flossing. He reminds me of myself at that age. The youngest is four years old and is the happiest baby you’ll ever meet. He has down syndrome so is slow to develop, but he can tell when he makes you laugh, and he’ll ham it up once he does. He’s so loving and cuddly, and he fuckin’ loves to throw things on the ground. Earlier that day, his was also the first poopy diaper I had ever changed. I was watching them for the day, and I’ll admit I had let screen time do a lot of the heavy lifting. By mid-afternoon, I was bored, and I suggested taking them to the park. Because how hard can taking three kids to the park be, right? I was watching them while their two mothers were on a trip. One of their mothers is also my ex-wife. Well, technically, I guess our divorce wasn’t finalized yet, so legally she was just my wife. I don’t know if it makes it more weird or less weird that I had been on the trip with them as well. It was Charity’s (my ex-wife-turned-platonic-partner) 40th birthday. I went on a trip with her and her fiancée (Casey) and then came back a day earlier than them so I could watch their kids while they took an extra day together. To say this is an unusual arrangement is an understatement. But we all love our weird little family as unconventional as it may be. The story of how we got here is a long one, but the short version is that Charity and I have been together for a long time. We have and continue to have an amazing relationship. We’ve grown together and gone through things few people have. We got together continued on page 72...

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Community Resources Advocacy

ACLU of North Carolina acluofnorthcarolina.org Campaign for Southern Equality southernequality.org Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce clgbtcc.org Equality North Carolina equalitync.org Freedom Center for Social Justice fcsj.org Human Rights Campaign North Carolina northcarolina.hrc.org LGBTQ Democrats of Mecklenburg County meckdemlgbtq.org Log Cabin Republicans of North Carolina lcrnc.org North Carolina AIDS Action Network ncaan.org Safe Schools NC safeschoolsnc.org

Arts Arts & Science Council of Charlotte artsandscience.org Charlotte Pride Band charlotteprideband.org

Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte gmccharlotte.org One Voice Chorus onevoicechorus.com

Health & HIV

-— Organization offers HIV-related care and services Affinity Health Center Locations in Rock Hill, Clover, and York 877-647-6363 affinityhealthcenter.org Amity Medical Group Locations in East and South Charlotte 704-208-4134 amitymed.org Anuvia Prevention & Recovery Center 100 Billingsley Rd. Charlotte, NC 28211 704-376-7447 anuvia.org Carolinas Care Partnership 5855 Executive Center Dr. Suite 102 Charlotte, NC 28212 704-531-2467 carolinascare.org Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group charlottetranshealth.org Dudley’s Place 103 Commerce Centre Dr. Suite 103 Huntersville, NC 28078 704-977-2972 myrosedalehealth.com/dudley

Harmony Recovery Group (Addiction and Mental Health Treatment) 8520 Cliff Cameron Dr Suite 450 Charlotte, NC 28269 866-461-4474 harmonyrecoverygroup.com House of Mercy 100 McAuley Cir. Belmont, NC 28012 704-825-4711 thehouseofmercy.org Lake Norman Community Health Clinic 14230 Hunters Road Huntersville, NC 28078 704-316-6611 lnchc.org Mecklenburg County Health Department Northwest Campus 2845 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216 704-336-6500 mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/ ClinicServices Mecklenburg County Health Department Southeast Campus 249 Billingsley Rd. Charlotte, NC 28211 704-336-6500 mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/ ClinicServices Midwood Addiction Treatment 3057 Senna Drive Matthews, NC 28105 704-741-0771 midwoodaddictiontreatment.com

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Community Resources Directory provided by Planned Parenthood Charlotte Health Center 700 S. Torrence St. Charlotte, NC 28204 704-536-7233 plannedparenthood.org/health-center/ north-carolina/charlotte/28205/charlotte-health-center-2703-90860

Charlotte Magazine charlottemagazine.com

Charlotte LGBTQ Elders charlottelgbtqelders.org

Charlotte Observer charlotteobserver.com

Charlotte Pride charlottepride.org

Charlotte Post thecharlottepost.com

Charlotte Tradesmen charlottetradesmen.org

PowerHouse 2.0 3552 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216 704-460-0489 powerhousecharlotte.org

CLTure clture.org

Crisis Assistance Ministry 500-A Spratt St. Charlotte, NC 28206 704-371-3001 crisisassistance.org

Quality Comprehensive Health Center Medical Clinic 3607 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216 704-394-8968 qchealth.org

La Noticia lanoticia.com

RAIN 601 E. 5th St. Suite 470 Charlotte, NC 28202 704-372-7246 carolinarain.org RAO Community Health 321 W. 11th St. Charlotte, NC 28202 704-237-8793 raoassist.org Rosedale Health and Wellness 103 Commerce Centre Dr. Suite 103 Huntersville, NC 28078 704-948-8582 myrosedalehealth.com

Online and Print Media Axios Charlotte charlotte.axios.com

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Hola News holanews.com

QCityMetro qcitymetro.com Qnotes Carolinas qnotescarolinas.com Qué Pasa Mi Gente charlotte.quepasanoticias.com Queen City Nerve qcnerve.com Scalawag Magazine scalawagmagazine.org

Social & Support Carolina Bear Lodge carolinabearlodge.club

Erase Trans Hate Carolinas facebook.com/ groups/393107558452641 Feed The Movement facebook.com/feedthemovementclt Hearts United for Good hugclt.org Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association lgbtqbarnc.com The Plus Collective thepluscollective.org Poor No More Free Store facebook.com/PoorNoMore Charlotte/ Prime Timers of Charlotte charlotteprimetimers.org

Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce clgbtcc.org

Queen City Connects queencityconnects.com

Charlotte Black Pride charlotteblackpride.org

Southern Country Charlotte southerncountrycharlotte.com

Charlotte Gaymers Network charlottegaymersnetwork.com

There’s Still Hope! tshcharlotte3.org

continued on page 62... 61

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Community Resources ...continued from page 61 Transcend Charlotte transcendcharlotte.org

Charlotte Rainbowlers charlotterainbowlers.com

Twirl to the World Foundation twirltotheworld.org

Charlotte Roller Girls charlotterollergirls.com

Roof Above roofabove.org

Charlotte Royals Rugby charlotteroyalsrugby.com

Center for Diversity & Inclusion Davidson College LGBTQ@davidson.edu 704-894-3103 davidson.edu/offices-andservices/diversity-andinclusion

Tryon Street Campus: 1210 North Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28206 704-334-3187

Queen City Tennis Club facebook.com/groups/36411747197

Gender Education Network gendereducationnetwork.org

Stonewall Sports stonewallcharlotte.org

PFLAG Charlotte pflagcharlotte.org

Youth & Family

PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis facebook.com/PFLAG-ConcordKannapolis-659750274130168/

Day Services Center: 945 N. College St. Charlotte, NC 28206 704-347-0278

Campus Pride campuspride.org

Sports Carolina Piedmont Softball Association carolinapiedmontsoftball.org Charlotte Front Runners facebook.com/CharlotteFront Runners/

continued on page 64...

Central Piedmont Pride Alliance Central Piedmont Community College facebook.com/groups/ CPCCPrideAlliance/

An LGBTQ+ Life Center for Queer Communities (18+) & People Living with HIV

Seeking Justice Through Health & Housing, We Value Your Authentic Self! Visit carolinascare.org for more information! 62

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Community Resources ...continued from page 62

Rainbow Foster Network rainbowfosternetwork.org Students Advocating for Equality Queens University of Charlotte queens.edu/life-at-queens/diversityequity-inclusion/student-resources/

UNC Charlotte Office of Identity, Equity and Engagement Student Union 210 & King 210 704-687-7121 identity.uncc.edu

Keep Us Updated!

See a listing in this community resource directory or other information in this magazine that needs to be updated or corrected for future printings? Send us an email to media@charlottepride.org.

Time Out Youth Center 3800 Monroe Rd. Charlotte, NC 28205 704-344-8335 timeoutyouth.org

With Remarkable Pride. Novant Health is a proud sponsor of Charlotte Pride. Together, we are creating a world where everyone is respected and cared for. Our affirming providers are here for you every step of your health journey. Because we see you, the whole you. You are remarkable — and you deserve remarkable healthcare.

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

person Reaching your future goals is easier w/ ally. We’re proud to cheer on our LGBTQ+ community at Charlotte Pride. Because no matter who you are or who you love, we’re all better off with an ally.

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Pride in the Carolinas

Charlotte Pride is a member of the International Association of Pride Organizers (InterPride), the U.S. Association of Prides (USAP), and Prides of the Southeast (POSE). We are proud to support and highlight our sibling Prides across the Carolinas. Blue Ridge Pride Asheville, NC blueridgepride.org

Hendersonville Pride Hendersonville, NC hendersonvillepride.org

Pride Winston Salem Winston-Salem, NC pridews.org

Rock Hill Pride Rock Hill, SC cdmercantile.com/rock-hill-pride

Alamance Pride Burlington, NC alamancepride.org

Catawba Valley Pride Hickory, NC catawbavalleypride.org

Shelby Pride Shelby, NC facebook.com/ShelPRIDE

Charleston Pride Charleston, SC charlestonpride.org

Charlotte Black Pride Charlotte, NC charlotteblackpride.org

ENC Pride Kinston, NC encpride.org

Sylva Pride Sylva, NC facebook.com/SylvaNCPride/

Charlotte Pride Charlotte, NC charlottepride.org

Lexington Pride Lexington, NC facebook.com/Lexington NCPride

Wilkes Pride/Wilkes True Colors Wilkesboro, NC https://www.facebook.com/ WilkesTrueColors

South Carolina Black Pride Columbia, SC facebook.com/southcarolina. blackpride

Outer Banks PrideFest Manteo, NC obxpridefest.com

Union County Pride Union County, NC unioncountypride.org

Pride Durham Durham, NC pridedurhamnc.org NENC Pridefest Elizabeth City, NC nencpridefest.com

South Carolina Pride Columbia, SC scpride.org Upstate Pride SC Spartanburg, SC upstatepridesc.org

Out! Raleigh Raleigh, NC outraleigh.org

Fayetteville Black Pride Fayetteville, NC Raleigh Pride facebook.com/ Raleigh, NC fayettevilleblackpride/ outraleighpride.org Fayetteville Pride Fayetteville, NC fayettevillepride.org

Salisbury Pride Salisbury, NC salisburypride.com

Greensboro Pride Greensboro, NC greensboropride.org

Port City Pride Wilmington, NC facebook.com/ PortCityPrideBlockParty

everyone.

enterprise.com

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Championing LGBTQ+ Scholarship

...continued from page 55 that girl.” In conclusion, what does the Charlotte Pride Scholarship mean to me? I’ll write a poem to answer that. Define Scholarship 1: a grant-in-aid to a student (as by a college or foundation) It means Financial Aid, FAFSA, something about taxes It means basic necessities Dignity, integrity, and the freedom to focus on school Investment in the pathway Unless life is inequitable Circumstances never expected arise Decide to eat, or starve, or study This scholarship means pay it forward, don’t pay it back 2: the character, qualities, activity, or attainments of a scholar: LEARNING It means know better Explore and grow Active on campus and in community Organized. It means teach something to someone else Water seeds like biology That each accolade Is dedicated to ancestors When the world sleeps Write and read Prep for the due date Savor each sip of café As if excellence was served con leche y azúcar And can’t nobody take it

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Love for people be studied by people who study people And that’s this scholarship To define scholarship One must first forget everything one has known Taught by a system that dares us to exist Thrive in the face of naysayers Seek resource and refuge among allies To define the Charlotte Pride Scholarship recipients One must study the ways of the world The histories of those who come before Most importantly know thyself Dream as if the alarm will sound soon For an 8 o’clock on campus class Journey to where change happens daily From cotton fields and riverfronts to the middle of Uptown Fiercely study the route Gaze upon new heights Gratitude blocking off North Tryon Street Charlotte, a queenly dwelling of pride Her crown, a symbol of freedom and love Her scholarship, a chance to make dreams come true ▼

3: a fund of knowledge and learning Supported Ain’t alone Not the only one For sisters For grandmothers For queer and trans siblings For us By you A community An equitable and safe space A place where they hear although it’s deafening Where words are currency Thoughts be gold Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

INterfaith Directory The Charlotte Pride Interfaith Directory is inspired by the national work of Church Clarity. We share Church Clarity’s conviction that faith institutions should clearly communicate their beliefs, practices, and policies. “Many churches fail to disclose their actively enforced policies,” Church Clarity states. “Ambiguity enables those with power to operate without accountability and case real harm.” Learn more about Church Clarity at churchclarity.org. While similar in many respects to Church Clarity’s online database, this Charlotte Pride Interfaith Directory differs in several key ways. First, it is entirely focused on our local and regional community. Second, our directory will include faith congregations of all faith traditions, not just those from the Christian tradition. Third, while Church Clarity also lists and discloses the practices of non-affirming institutions, this Charlotte Pride Interfaith Directory will only list those who meet certain criteria. To be listed in the directory, organizations must voluntarily choose to submit their listing. Additionally, they must meet four key criteria: (1) Accept openly LGBTQ members, (2) Allow openly LGBTQ members and women to take leadership roles, (3) Ordain openly LGBTQ people and women, and (4) Perform same-gender marriages. Two additional criteria are asked of each organization: Do they have an LGBTQ affinity or study group and do they financially support and/or participate in LGBTQ-affirming causes, organizations, or events. The directory also asks each faith institution to disclose its faith tradition, denomination, or affiliation. The following list of faith resources is compiled from those organizations which have already opted to voluntarily submit themselves to this directory. To learn more, see the directory online or to submit your organization, visit charlottepride.org/interfaith.

Interfaith Directory Listings Caldwell Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Church (USA) 1609 East Fifth St. Charlotte, NC, 28204 704-334-0825 caldwellpresby.org Dilworth United Methodist Church United Methodist 605 East Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28203 704-333-4173 dilworthchurch.org First United Methodist Church United Methodist 501 N. Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704-333-9081 charlottefirst.org Havurat Tikvah Jewish, Reconstructionist 2821 Park Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209 980-225-5330 havurattikvah.org

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 1900 The Plaza Charlotte, NC 28205 704-377-5439 htlccharlotte.org Inclusion Community United Methodist 21209 Catawba Ave. Cornelius, NC 28021 inclusioncommunity.org Missiongathering Christian Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 420 E. 15th St. Charlotte, NC 28206 704-412-4028 missiongathering.com M2M Charlotte Presbyterian Church (USA) 3601 Central Avenue Charlotte, NC 28205 m2mcharlotte.org

We are a Reconciling in Christ congregation, welcoming and affirming ALL: regardless of orientation, gender expression, skin tone, marital status, faith history, questions, abilities, or challenges.

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Simply put, everyone is... Simply put, everyone is... Simply put, everyone Simplyis... put, everyone is...

MORNING STAR

LUTHERAN CHURCH 12509 IDLEWILD RD. MATTHEWS, NC MORNING STAR www.mslcnc.org

MORNING STAR

Simply put, everyone is...

LUTHERAN CHURCH

12509 IDLEWILD RD. MATTHEWS, NC

LUTHERAN CHURCH

Fall 2023 / Volume 5 12509 IDLEWILD RD. MATTHEWS, NC

MORNING STAR

12509 IDLEWILD RD. MATTHEWS, NC

LUTHERAN CHURCH

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Charlotte Pride Magazine Sardis Baptist Church Alliance of Baptists, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 5811 Sardis Rd. Charlotte, NC 28270 704-362-0811 sardisbaptistcharlotte.org SouthPark Christian Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 6650 Park South Drive Charlotte, NC 28210 (704) 554-1066 southparkchristian.org St. John’s Baptist Church Alliance of Baptists, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 300 Hawthorne Ln. Charlotte, NC 28204 704-333-5428 www.stjohnsbaptistchurch.org St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Episcopal Church 1510 E. 7th Street Charlotte, NC 28204 704- 376-8441 stmclt.org

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Episcopal Church 115 West 7th St. Charlotte, NC 28202 st-peters.org Trinity Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Church (USA) 3115 Providence Rd. Charlotte, NC 28211 704-366-3554 trinitypresbychurch.org

Wedgewood Community Church Interfaith PO Box 18912 Charlotte, NC 28218 704-641-0454 wedgewoodcharlotte.org Unitarian Universalist Community of Charlotte Unitarian Universalism 234 N. Sharon Amity Rd. Charlotte, NC 28211 704-366-8623 uuccharlotte.org

Thispastor lovesyou! - Rev. Amelia Stinson-Wesley

Charlotte Pride Magazine

There is an Art to Advocacy. For 60 years, we’ve been honing creative legal strategies into an art form, fusing practical counsel with compassionate advocacy, and leveraging our unique culture – all to help individuals and businesses in the Carolinas meet their goals.

JMDLaw.com

In a world that thrives on diversity, inclusivity, and equal rights, it is imperative that we stand together in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Every individual, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves to be treated with respect, acceptance, and love.

BUILD COMMUNITY. BETTER PEOPLE’S LIVES.

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

love fully. live fully. proud to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Make more time for all the things that matter most. Whether it’s a wellness exam with your doctor, or simply spending time with the ones you love, we’re here to help you live fully.

Classified as MB Internal

Daimler Truck North America is one of the largest employers in the Carolinas with six locations in the Charlotte area. Through intentionality, understanding, and empathy, and with the help of EQUAL, Daimler’s Employee Resource Group which focuses on LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies, DTNA works to cultivate a safe and authentic workspace for employees of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We actively promote the hiring of a diverse workforce and strive to retain that talent by creating inclusive policies and education. EQUAL gathers the strength of a supportive community for our LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies while championing policy change that is inclusive for everyone.

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Making the communities we serve a Fifth Third better®. Fifth Third Bank is a proud supporter of Charlotte Pride.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Community Art Submissions ...continued from page 59

when we were super young and have learned a lot about ourselves since then. So when she told me she felt like she needed to explore dating women and other people, it was a big deal, but also it was just another thing for us to work through together. I don’t want to minimize it, it was the hardest thing we’ve ever done. But we found a couple’s therapist who worked with people on these sorts of things. We had a lot of very difficult conversations, shed a lot of tears, got really angry sometimes, and had some tender moments of reconciliation. The main theme we kept coming back to in therapy was that we were family, and we would always be family whatever that looked like. We were both committed to making that happen. We landed on the term platonic life partners for each other. So, when she started dating the mother of three kids, and I saw how happy that person made her, it only made sense that they would be my family as well. At one point Casey asked to have coffee with me. I had a feeling they had something they wanted to talk to me about and they seemed kinda nervous. At one point I almost tried to break the tension by asking “What are your intentions with my wife?” but decided I wasn’t sure how that would go (though when I told them later, they thought it was hilarious). Sure enough, Casey got around to telling me they wanted to propose to Charity and just wanted me to know and wanted to make sure I was ok. They of course didn’t owe me any of that, but it meant a lot to me. I told them we were family now. A few months later, after the proposal, after spending several memorable moments with the whole family, and after the trip the three of us took together, Casey asked me to be the kids’ godparent. Similar to their daughter, they asked me in a very casual way, walking down the street after having dinner with our little family and their extended family. I knew we both felt the weight of it. My eyes welled up again. I was so touched and of course said yes. I also thought how much easier it would be to call them my god children rather than the children of my ex-wife-turned-platonic-partner’s fiancé. I love those kids dearly and I enjoy my time with them. That day we spent while Charity and Casey were still on the trip will always be a special day for me. At the end of the day, I was putting the kids to bed. After tucking in the oldest two and saying goodnight, I was going to put down the youngest. Charity had told me she liked to sing him to sleep. I remembered a movie Charity and I had seen almost 15 years before with this mom putting her kid to sleep and singing Mr Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan. Watching this as a hipster 20 something who was mildly obsessed with Bob Dylan and indie films, I thought that was such a brilliant pairing. Fast forward some 15 years and several life changes later and there I was, rocking to sleep my godson singing “Hey Mr. Tambourine Man play a song for me / I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to.” I pushed back his wispy hair, while he fell asleep. This baby is in no way biologically linked to me but in that moment, he felt like mine. As queer people we often have to make family in untraditional ways. Many of us are estranged from our biological families in one way or another. So, when we find that family that chooses us and that we choose, we hold on to them for dear life. I like the term “found family” but it’s more than that really. We don’t just find them, we choose them, fight for them, and find new ways of creating love and family over and over again. ▼

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

THE MINT MUSEUM The Year of the Collector The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design September 16, 2023–February 25, 2024 Mint Museum Uptown

Walter Scott Lenox and American Belleek September 23, 2023–January 21, 2024 Mint Museum Randolph

Craft Across Continents — Contemporary Japanese and Western Objects: The Lassiter/ Ferraro Collection December 9, 2023–May 5, 2024 Mint Museum Uptown

Delhom Service League: 50 Golden Years February 10–August 11, 2024 Mint Museum Randolph

Objects of Affection: Jewelry by Robert Ebendorf from the Porter  Price Collection April 27–October 27, 2024 Mint Museum Randolph

Shinichi Sawada: Agents of Clay April 27–August 11, 2024 Mint Museum Randolph

Mint Museum Uptown

Mint Museum Randolph

at Levine Center for the Arts 500 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202

2730 Randolph Road Charlotte, NC 28207

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

704.337.2000 mintmuseum.org @themintmuseum

The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors. IMAGE: Tanaka Yū 田中悠 (Japanese, 1989–). Tsutsumimono (Bundle), 2020, glazed stoneware. Promised Gift of Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro. PG2022.57.18. Featured in Craft Across Continents — Contemporary Japanese and Wester Objects: The Lassiter/Ferraro Collection.

Charlotte Pride Magazine

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 1900 The Plaza Charlotte, NC 28205

www.htlccharlotte.org

Worship Sundays at 11 AM

We welcome people of every: • age and size • color and culture • sexual orientation and gender identity • socioeconomic status and marital status • ability and challenge.

Your local open and affirming church since 1996.

We welcome believers and questioners, and questioning believers.

Most importantly, we welcome YOU!

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

Charlotte Pride Magazine

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Fall 2023 / Volume 5

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

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Opening doors to opportunity When more people have access to the tools, services and financial guidance they need, new doors can open in our communities. That’s what U.S. Bank is for. Charlotte Tryon Branch 201 S Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202 980-859-8543 Visit usbank.com/lgbtq to learn more today.

U.S. Bank is proud to support Charlotte Pride.

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Charlotte Pride Magazine

Fall 2023 / Volume 5

In 1962, Sam Walton opened the doors of the first Walmart. He recognized the value of bringing affordable products to people in small towns. Walmart has been helping people save money – and live better – ever since. Walmart PRIDE is on a mission to make Walmart the most inclusive and affirming place for the LGBTQ+ community and to elevate, celebrate, and advocate for out LGBTQ+ associates, engage in the communities we serve, and to counsel the business.

CHARLOTTE

PRIDE

S D N E I R FOF E ID

R P

D N E I R F A E M O C BE TODAY!

SUPPORT O T G N I V GI M O N T H LY Y S E R V I C E S . H T I W E D RI NIT IEND OF P NTS, AND COMMU R F A S A UP EVE T OR SIGN OUND PROGRAMS, F I G E M I E -T R-R GIVE A ON TTE PRIDE’S YEA CHARLO

Charlotte Pride’s individual giving program, FRIENDS OF PRIDE, allows you to give back and support Charlotte Pride programming throughout the year. Your monthly contribution goes directly toward sustaining the community-driven work of Charlotte Pride in Arts & Culture, Economic Growth & Upward Mobility, Community Solidarity, and Visibility & Education. Give today, with Pride!

SEE FULL DETAILS AND BECOME A FRIEND OF PRIDE ONLINE AT:

charlottepride.org/friends

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